Sucker Punch Productions released Ghost of Tsushima this past Summer for the PlayStation 4. The title intrigued players from across the globe. The game takes place in 1274 and tells the story of the Mongol Empire’s invasion of the island of Tsushima.
The island is a real location in Japan. The Tsushima tourism agency has been promoting the island online by creating a website. By visiting the site, players can learn more about some of the real-life landmarks that also appeared in the game.
The website also contained information for those who may want to visit the island in the future. Until now, they can enjoy a virtual tour from the comfort of their homes. Interest in the island increased significantly after the game was released, which is why the site was updated with new information.
However, not all is calm on the island. On September 7, Typhoon 10 destroyed the Heisei Torii, one of the gates and a symbol of Tsushima. These traditional gates usually stand at the entrance of a Shinto shrine, where it makes a transition from the outside to a sacred location.
The Heisei Torii was initially built in 1989 and was created with stone materials. The area is was built on was made famous for the discovery of some of the sunken ships that were used by the Mongolian army.
The island put out a Campfire crowdfunding project to raise money to help rebuild the gate. The crowdfunding page contains more images of the damaged gate but also beautiful scenes from around the island. The initial goal was 5,000,000 Yen. The goal was quickly met and now reaches over 400%, which is increasing every day.
In an update, the project coordinators specifically thanked gamers. They received a great deal of support from players who enjoyed Ghost of Tsushima, which is set on the island.
When international visitation is allowed in Japan once again, the project coordinators hope that fans of the game and anyone else will come to visit Tsushima ISland and the rebuilt torii shrine.
Those who contribute were offered many rewards that included bookmarks, towels, and even a special name engraving. More details about how the custom rewards will be distributed will be announced in the future.
The CampFire project ends on January 10.
Ghost of Tsushima is a PlayStation 4 exclusive available now.
